Various embodiments relate to a problem which occurs during operation of discharge lamps using dimmable electronic ballasts. In this case, so-called striated discharges occur at some dimming settings. A known and conventional solution is to suppress these striated discharges by feeding a direct current into the discharge lamp.
In this context, it is known that unstable gas discharges may occur at low dimming settings and at relatively low ambient temperatures, for example temperatures below 20° C., said unstable gas discharges becoming noticeable by virtue of chaotic light flicker which is only slight but nevertheless becomes disruptive at such a low light level. This effect is known by the term so-called intrinsic flicker. This does not occur in all discharge lamps; for example discharge lamps whose gas fill contains a krypton component do not demonstrate such a behavior. The actual cause for this intrinsic flicker has not yet been researched.
Until now, therefore, operating states in which the intrinsic flicker occurs have not been permitted for the affected discharge lamps.